Actual
by jennywinger
Summary: A little what if story. For this one we go in history and Elliot is actually a prince in shining armor. Not a metaphor. I used a Boleyn/cinderella-type storyline for this fairytale. A two shot with a lot E/O, actual love.
1. Chapter 1

A little what if story. For this one we go in history and Elliot is actually a prince in shining armor. Not a metaphor. I used a Boleyn/cinderella-type storyline for this fairytale. Please tell me what you think, because it is new to me, and probably to you as well. At least, I haven't seen a story like this before. The prince, waiting for his ill father to die and for him to receive the throne, has to get married. The most beautiful and rich girls from all over the country are interested in him. As are the princesses from other countries. The king leaves the decision to his son, at long as she is from noble birth, well read and polite. A few miles from the castle a family hears of this. Olivia's mother had an affair with a duke, who desperately wanted to marry her but whom she had denied for years because of her friendship with his current wife, and got pregnant. The woman, who had indeed royal family far up the familytree, died in childbirth. The duke took responsibility for his daughter and took her in. Sadly, the man died in battle, leaving his wife behind with a bastard child and her real daughter: Katherine, who was two years older then Olivia. You can guess how it went, having to raise the result of your husbands affair. Olivia grew up getting beaten almost every day. Not only by her stepmother, but also by her new stepfather, who had two sons. It wasn't like they made her clean, she was royal after all.

'Olivia?' Katherine asked. 'Olivia? Where are you?' Olivia was hiding behind the tree. She knew what Katherine wanted. It was either her clothes or she wanted her to do something crappy. God, she hated her stepsister. Odafin, the boy who was being knighted next month, drove by on his horse. He saw her. She placed her finger on her lips making the Shhht-sign. He smirked. He drove his horse towards her

'Hey baby-girl, what you doing?' He whispered.

'Kathy is up my ass again.' She sighed. She looked around the tree to see if she was still there.

'Oh boy, what now?'

'I don't know. Probably wants my new dress.'

'It looks good on you.'

'Thanks, this isn't it, though.' She smirked. 'I bought it for when the prince comes to hunt next week.'

'Really? Prince Elliot?'

'Yeah. Dad's happy.' She shrugged. 'I need to go to the market. Wanna come?'

'Actually, me and John need to go fishing. He's getting married tomorrow, so we're going to have a guynight.'

'Nice. But could you give me a ride anyways?'

'Sure, hop on.' On the way to the market everyone was looking at them. That wasn't all that strange, seeing that Olivia and Katherine were considered to be the prettiest girls in town. Katherine gave it away, but Olivia was a good girl, she behaved and was the paragon of virtue. Which made her much more attractive than Katherine. The men looked at Odafin with envy, the women looked at her with envy too. After all, she was rich, beautiful and royal. And the future king would be visiting them soon.

'Bye Odafin, thanks for the ride.' She smiled.

'Call me Fin, baby-girl.'

'That's peculiar.'

'I know, but it's a little shorter and I prefer it.'

'Ok, then Fin.' She giggled. He loved her giggle. 'Say hi to John for me.' She waved a last time and walked off. Luckily she saw her friend standing, looking at some silk.

'Hi Casandra!' She cried and ran towards her.

'Olivia!' Casandra smiled. 'So nice to see you! For a second there I thought they locked you up in the basement.' They giggled. 'Oh this is my niece by the way.'

'Alexandra possum.' They shook hands. 'Nice to meet you, Olivia.'

'Casandra and Alexandra?' She asked. 'That could get a little bit annoying saying it like that the entire time.' They laughed.

'What do you propose we do?'

'We can shorten it. Odafin did it.' She shrugged. 'We call him "Fin" now.'

'Thats swell. What do you think my shortened name should be?' Casandra asked.

'I don't know. Case?'

'Case. Case. Case.' She said. 'Casey?'

'Oh that sounds so pretty!' Alexandra cried. 'Casey it is!'

Casey liked her new name. 'How about you, Alexandra. Alex.'

'Alex. That's a boys name.'

'Don't you think it sounds spunky?' Casey asked.

'Yeah. I suppose. You can call me Alex, but not in front of my dad please. He'd kill me.' They laughed, hooked arms and walked to the market.

* * *

'Olivia!' Her stepfather screamed. 'Come downstairs. NOW!' She ran downstairs, knowing that if she was late she'd pay for it. Her stepbrothers-and sister were lined up. Her stepfather grabbed her arm and threw her next to Katherine. 'Lazy girl.' Then he continued.

'Now, children. Prince Elliot and his entourage will be here within and hour. The house is cleaner than it has ever been and that's for a very important reason.' He walked to Katherine. 'I've seen Katherine grow up, I've raised her and provided for her since she was 2. And now, that little girl has grown up to be a real princess. The only thing we have to do is convince the prince that she is the one and only good choice.' Katherine smirked and looked at Olivia. 'Once that happens my sons will get great positions in the army. And maybe we'll get rid of you, you little brat.' He barked at Olivia. Olivia shrugged, she didn't care what he called her.

'Olivia, what are you wearing?' Her stepmother asked in horror, pointing at her simple soft yellow dress.

'A dress.' And smack. She should've seen that coming. Her stepfather slapped her.

'Don't be such a wise ass. Go change. Katherine's dress is yellow.'

'Fine.' She walked upstairs. She grabbed one of her favorite dresses, a darkblue one with lace. 10 minutes later she walked back downstairs. Did a little pirouette do get conformation that this dress was ok. Her stepmother looked at her with a cocky grin.

'It's fine. Now, you need to be quiet, ok? You will let Katherine steal the show.' She smirked. 'Not like there's anything you can do.'

'Ok.'

'Just pretend to read a book or something. If he thinks you're smart, he might marry you to someone powerful.'

'I can read.'

'Who cares.'

Olivia threw her hands in the air. She didn't even care, whoever this prince was that got her family all riled up, she didn't want to meet him. She didn't want anything to do with this man, who probably had a godcomplex. She grabbed a book and let herself fell onto the couch. She didn't have very long because her stepfather grabbed her arm and threw her off it. She kept quiet and laid on the floor, her nose touched the rug and her fingers dug into it. There was no one else in the room. He kneeled next to her, his hand ran over her back. His fingers got caught in her waistband, which he pulled softly making her waist rise a little. Her chin started shaking. He stood up and he was out of her sight, but only for a little while. Then she felt him pulling up her skirt, touching her legs and placing her in position, lifting her a little. He pushed her face into the rug and brought his lips to her ears.

'Now, you behave or it's going to happen. Katherine needs to marry the prince, you hear.'

She nodded.

'You won't do anything to make yourself attractive, yes, I know that's hard for you.' He pinched her thigh, making her painfully flinch. 'You only speak when being spoken to, you don't laugh, at anything. You will be quiet. If the prince asks to pass the food, you will not be the one who does it. You won't even look into his eyes.'

She nodded again.

'Did I make myself clear?'

'Yes. Yes sir.'

'Good girl.' He got up, helped her up too and then left. She got back on the couch and looked around. Her stepmother looked at her from the second entrance. She looked at her book again and wiped her nose. She read for a few more minutes before Katherine ran in.

'Olivia, come on. He's here!' She grabbed her hand and pulled her outside.

'Do you think he's handsome?' Katherine asked.

'He must be. He's a prince after all, aren't they supposed to be dreamy?'

'I guess. Do you think he'll like me?' She asked.

For the first time in her life, Olivia wanted to be nice to her stepsister. 'He'll be crazy not to.' She smiled and rubbed her sister's upper arm. And, for the first time too, Katherine was nice to her as well. They gave each other a quick and first hug and then looked straight foreword. Like good and proper girls should do. The carriage arrived. Everyone was holding their breath, mostly Katherine. But when the man stepped out, they knew there was nothing to be afraid of. This man was dreamy, handsome and everything a fairytale prince was supposed to be. He walked over to their father.

'George Henry Malone, how pleasant to see your old face again.' He joked.

'Your highness, always nice to see you. Last time you were, what was it, 14?'

He laughed. 'Very posible. But I look foreword to see you a lot more often. These are your children?'

'Yes, your highness.'

'Oh come on, George, you can call me Elliot.' He smugly said. Olivia sighed. She knew he had a godcomplex. She looked away from the floor to his pompous smile. She hated him already. Sadly for her, this was the first time he looked at them, she and Katherine, and he saw her staring at him. She looked down, faster than the speed of light it seemed, and blushed.

'These must be your lovely daughters.' He walked over to Katherine.

'Yes, they are sir. This is my daughter Katherine.'

'You, my lady, truly are one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen.' He kissed her hands. 'I'm looking foreword to getting to know you over dinner.' He walked to Olivia. 'And this is...?' He asked.

'Olivia.' He said. 'My stepdaughter.'

The prince took her hand in his and looked in her eyes as he helped her up. 'Olivia. Your beautiful name is exceeded only by your beauty itself.' He said, flirtatious. He looked at her, she had nothing in her eyes. She acted as if she didn't care, but she did like it. She liked it very much. She maybe even liked him very much.

'Thank you, your highness. Your kindness means a lot to me.' She painfully smiled. Her stepfather wanted Elliot's eyes, that were clearly running all over her body, off of her.

'Let's go hunting.' He said. Elliot looked her in her eyes one last time, and then followed her stepfather.

* * *

'Olivia!' Katherine cried. 'I need your help!'

'My god, Kathy, what's wrong?' She asked. The blonde was crying and hysterical. 'Calm down, what happened?'

'I.. I.. And he.. He was, I couldn't...' She started.

'Shhht. Calm down. Take a breath.' The blonde did what she said. 'Now, what happened?'

'I followed them into the woods, I thought it'd be a really nice story to tell our kids. You know, like: We saw each other in the woods, he rescued me from a wild pig and we fell in love immediately.' She sniffed and wiped the tears from her face. 'But I got lost, their horses were way to fast and I got off track. So I started to find my way back when he arrived out of nowhere. He saw me just in time, but his horse, he got on two legs and threw him off. I think he's hurt. Oh Olivia, please help.'

'What would you like me to do?'

'Can you, maybe, take the blame for it?'

'Did he die?'

'No. No I don't think so.'

'Ok, then. I'll do it. Stop crying.' She stood up and walked outside. The prince was carried by his soldiers.

'How bad is it?' Olivia asked them.

'It's bad, we need to get him healed. The doctor is on his way, but it could take hours. We're so far.'

'I know a little.'

'You do?' The soldiers asked. 'Quick, help him then.'

She looked at her stepfather. The man was red of sorrow, he nodded. She could do it. 'Ok, first we need to stop the bleeding. Bring him inside.'

She got to work quickly. The obvious wounds, the ones on his arms and chest, she bandaged first. They weren't very deep and only fleshwounds. She listened to his heart, everything was ok there. He had no broken bones in his arms, which was good. Maybe he had a broken rib, but nothing to serious. He had no headwounds nor a scullfracture. For this she was scared the most. She had seen the blood on his pants when they carried him in. She knew she had to look at it, but she hoped that he was wearing something comparable to underwear. Sadly, he was not. She put a towel on it, worked trough her embarrassment and quickly bandaged those wounds as well. When she was done, she used a wet towel to clean him up entirely, to make sure no dirt would get in his wounds and would possibly lead to an infection. A few minutes after she was done the real doctor arrived. He looked at her work and said she did an excellent job for someone this experienced. He didn't need to re-do the bandages, they were fine. The soldiers carried their still unconscious prince to the guestroom and then went downstairs. Katherine told her father what she did. He forgave her.

'Daddy, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault.' She told him the entire story.

'It's... It's ok. But you can't be in that room when he wakes up. He would look at your face and remember.'

'So, what should I do?' She asked. 'Olivia accepted to take the blame.'

'That's brilliant. She will be there when he awakes, she'll say she did it. He'll be so angry, that's when you run in, calm him down, give him some wine. He'll fall in love with you, as you nurse him back to health. We'll even tell him you bandaged his wounds!' He laughed. 'Olivia?'

'Yes father?' She asked.

'You will take the blame.'

'Yes, I already told Katherine I would.' She shrugged.

'You'll also tell him that Katherine bandaged his wounds.'

'Ok.'

'He'll get mad at you.'

'Ok.'

'You'll leave and let Katherine take care off him.'

'Ok, fine, I will.'

'You'll sit in that room with him until he wakes up, then you'll tell him.'

'I understand, ok father?' She realized something. 'Should I go now?'

'Yes.'

* * *

She sat in silence for two hours before he woke up. He moaned out of pain. She quickly rose to her feet and walked to his bed, where she kneeled.

'Your highness?' She asked. 'How do you feel?'

'Like shit.' He grunted. 'Am I injured badly?'

'It's not the worst I've ever seen, nor the least. But I think you'll make a full recovery.' She smirked. 'You'll even have some impressive scars you can show to everyone and tell stories of your bravery, my lord.'

'Did I do something brave then?'

'You did. But you can tell your servants that you got them in war, defending our country.'

'What brave thing did I do to get these scars?' He smirked too. 'By the way, I don't lie to my people.'

'Oh.' She blushed.

'Tell me, beautiful Olivia, how did I receive these fresh scars?'

She blushed even more. 'You were riding your horse when you saw a girl. You made sure that she wouldn't get injured and received the wounds instead. I think that's the most impressive form of gallantry I've ever seen, your highness.'

'Call me Elliot. Did I save you?'

'I'm sorry to tell my lord that he received those wounds because of me.' She looked down. 'Please, my lord, punish me.'

'Punish you? For a mistake?'

'I almost caused your death, my lord. You should chop my head off, or throw me in jail for life. I deserve it!'

'You are so beautiful. And you, my little lovely, are so lying.' He kissed her forehead, but then he fell back and painfully moaned.

'I'm not. About what, exactly?'

'I didn't get injured because of you. I got injured because of your sister.'

'No, my lord, it was I.'

'I remember. It was your sister.' He used his least injured arm to touch her hair. 'Which begs the question why you are taking blame for it.'

'My family wants you to marry her.' She sighed. 'If you'd be angry with her, you'd never do it.'

'I must tell you the truth. I came here to ask your father for the hand of your sister. She's pretty, well-read, royal. She would make an excellent wife.' He sighed. 'But how could I marry her? How could I, when my heart belongs to you?'

'My lord, you shouldn't say those things. You're obviously hit with a bad fever. You are delirious.'

'I am not, my beautiful Olivia. I swear to you, I am not. I fell in love with you, the first time I saw you.' He smirked. 'The way you looked at me, disdainfully. I knew I had to make you realize I am not a pompous man. However, I am rich and the only heir to the throne. More then a thousand girls have thrown themselves at my feet. I am rich, powerful, loved. But not pompous. Only in love. The way I've never been before.'

She fell into his eyes. Knowing he told the truth. 'You don't love me. Not at all.' She cried.

'I do, Olivia. I would give up everything if that would make you happy. I would travel to the moon if it'd make you happy. I would chop off my own arms and throw them at dragons if it meant saving you. I would kill the dragon, if that would make you happy.' He looked into her eyes. 'My beautiful Olivia, you need to know how serious I am. I would die for you, hell, I would live in France, if that would make you happy.'

She laughed.

'I love your laugh. I love your smile.' He said. 'My god, Olivia, I wouldn't do anything rather than kissing you right now.' She kept smiling.

'Then why don't you?' She asked. 'Elliot.'

'Because I can't get up.' He smirked. It made her laugh even more. She leaned foreword and grazed her lips with his. It could be her first kiss. She had seen Katherine do it a couple of times, but she had no idea what to do. So she pulled back.

'Don't you like me?' He asked, confused.

'In contrary. I think I might love you.'

'Then what's wrong? Don't you wan't to kiss me?'

'I do, but I don't know how.' She almost cried. He wrapped his healthy hand in her hair, placed it on the back of her neck and brought her down. He kissed her. On the lips, really careful. It felt like fireworks. But then something odd happened. He used his tongue to force her lips apart and touched her tongue with his. At first she wanted to go back, but then she realized that she really liked it. The kiss lasted for a few more seconds. Then he got out of her mouth, kissed her one last, quick time on her lips and laid back down. She smiled back at him.

'I think I might love you too, my beautiful Olivia.' He placed his hand on the side of the face. 'You will be even more suitable as wife then your sister. I know she isn't a virgin, unlike you.'

'Would you love me if I wasn't a virgin?' She asked. She though about the time her stepfather came really close. So close actually she bled afterwords.

'My sweetheart, I know you are.' He smiled as his thumbs touched her lips.

'But would you?'

'Of course I would. I will love you every day. I loved you from the moment we met. And I will love you until the moment I die.'

**N/b: Sorry, I watched all princess movies today and yesterday. Enchanted, Ever After, The Other Boleyn Girl, Pillars of the Earth, Sisi. I even watched cinderella with my younger sister on tv today. I was just wondering if, and I must say I like it. I'll make it a two shot, maybe three. Tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

Elliot had fallen back asleep, he needed to heal, and that took time. She played her first kiss over and over in her head. Oh, how she enjoyed it. But now, she needed to tell her stepsister, that her future husband was in love with her. She was scared to death of what her stepfather would do, after all, he had threatened her with things he would do if she came in between. Oh, how scared she was. Immensely happy, but terrified to death. She sighed. She'd better get it over with. She stood up and walked to the door.

'Olivia?' A voice behind her asked. 'Where are you going?'

'To the living room.'

'Why?' He asked. He looked like a little bird. The future leader of this country looked like a little, terrified bird.

'I have to tell my father what I did.' She sighed. She walked back to his bed and kneeled, holding his hands. He squeezed hers.

'Please stay. You father has a wicked temper, I'd rather be the one to tell.' He kissed her knuckles. She nodded.

'But he's going to think, he might even figure it out.'

'Let him think, let him figure it out. Maybe he'll realize how I love you.'

'How do you then?'

'With all my heart.'

'That isn't very original.' She quipped.

'Fine then. I love you with my lungs. I love you with all my liver.'

She laughed. 'How about your brains, do they love me too?'

'My brains. They rationalize it. You are like a drug to me, you stop me from thinking, making me do. When I am around you I feel like a different person. I don't care about how I look, how much money I have and who my family is. I only care if you're happy, how you feel, and how I can improve that.'

'That's really nice. I feel joy.'

'Then I did a good job.'

'Would you like something to drink?'

'Oh, yes. Please, I think I might be dehydrated.'

'You've drank an entire can of water since you've been here, which is only a few hours. I don't think you are dehydrated.' She smirked.

'Kiss me.' He asked, or rather demanded. She leaned in, a little more curtain what to do. But she let her lips be guided by love. It worked. What they didn't realize was that her stepfather had placed Katherine outside with a bottle of white wine. When Olivia left the room Katherine looked at her. Her stunned face said it all. How would a prince fall for her? She was nothing. Katherine would get on her bare knees to please him. Olivia never even had a crush, she was just a stupid little girl. Olivia stepped past her. But katherine wasn't going to let her get away, she grabbed her arm. She looked in her eyes and still saw the innocence.

'Oh, no Olivia. Dear sister.' She joked. 'You're coming with me!' She dragged her downstairs, into the livingroom. She threw her on the couch and ran to their stepfather. 'Olivia seduced him!'

'What? She did WHAT?' He screamed.

'She kissed him!' Katherine cried. Her stepfather walked to her and slapped her. Olivia kept her tears in. He slapped her again, his hand made a sickening sound against her skin. She buried her face in the couch, but she could taste the blood.

'You couldn't control yourself, could you?' He grabbed a handful of hair and lifted her. 'Well, then we should make sure that she isn't an option.'

'What do you mean, George?' His wife asked.

'If she's married he can't marry her, can he?' He smiled. 'I believe that Odafin boy likes her, and he's free.'

'Daddy please don't, I love Elliot!' She cried. And Odafin loves Melinda, she added in her mind.

'I do too!' Katherine barked. 'I deserve him, what on earth should he do with you?'

'He loves me too!'

'He doesn't love you. I'll bet you everything I have that he was after one thing and one thing only.' She smirked evilly. 'And it's not like you have that.'

'I don't know what you're talking about!' She cried, she was still an inch or two above the ground because he was still holding her hair.

'You are so stupid.' Katherine said.

'Sweetheart?' Her stepmother started. 'It's not a bad thing. Olivia could marry Prince Elliot, and Katherine could marry someone else.'

'Are you bloody insane, wife? Katherine is your daughter, Olivia isn't.' He threw her back on the couch, quietly considering the possibility.

'But it's not like we can force him. He's the future king after all.' She tried. Olivia knew that her stepmother didn't want her to be happy, if the circumstances had been different she would have personally strangled her for "stealing" Elliot. But her husband was a little to close with Olivia, she had witnessed almost every encounter. And he wasn't hiding his interest in his stepdaughter, he talked about his fantasies in the bedroom open enough. But she didn't blame Olivia for it.

'You are right. I see no other option. Marrying her quickly and against her will would only anger the prince. After an annulment we would fall out of favor.' He sighed and looked at Katherine. 'I'm sorry, sweetheart, you'll have to marry another.'

'That's not fair!' Katherine cried. 'She does something bad and I get punished!' It had been the other way around before then.

'Katherine. Kathy...'

'No! No! No!' She threw a fit. 'Not fair, not fair at all!' Her mother pulled her arm and whispered. 'You'll go with her, as her lady in waiting. He'll fall in love with you, you'll get his child, a boy, and he'll forget all about her. He'll send her away and live with you in your palace.' This thought her mother had made her smile.

'Fine.' She pointed at Olivia and then at the stairs. 'Go do your whorish things, while I'll behave as a proper girl.' Olivia gladly accepted this, but first she had to refill the water. She walked to the well and retrieved a bucket from it. Then she walked upstairs, into the room of her future husband.

'Are you asleep?' She asked. His eyes opened.

'I must've been.' He sighed. 'Because something this beautiful could only imagine there, I thought.' He tried to sit up, he succeeded. 'But now I think I must be dead, since an angel has come to take me to heaven.' She laughed. He did too.

'That's sweet.' She smiled, she touched his face, letting her palm slip from his cheek to his neck, to his chest.

'You can say it.'

'What?'

'That I'm very muscled. How strong I am.'

'You are a little cocky aren't you?' She quipped.

'My beautiful Olivia, you don't know the half of it.' He touched the hand that was on his chest, and slowly moved it down. He stopped when her hand was on his lap. She blushed and pulled her hand back.

'Are you scared?' He asked. 'I was just joking, I want to wait for our weddingnight.'

'I do too.'

'Have you ever seen one?'

'Have you ever seen a naked lady?'

'Don't try to change the subject. Have you ever seen one.'

'No.' She lied. 'No I have not.'

'You truly are the worst liar, aren't you?' He smirked and squeezed her hand. 'You look down and twitch your nose when you lie.' He kissed her nose.

'You have known me for an hour or so. How could you possibly know that?'

'I may have only known you for an hour, but I feel like I've known you forever. I think this was destiny.'

'That's utterly romantic.'

'That's, again, changing the subject. Have you had a man?' He asked. He looked into her eyes. She had not, he knew. But there was something she wasn't telling him. A secret, of which she obviously thought it was something to be ashamed of.

'Olivia...' He sighed. 'Whatever it is, it's your secret to share. I won't push you. But if you decide not to tell it's also your burden to bear. Nothing, absolutely noting, could make me love you any more. If you told me you slept with the entire village, which I truthfully doubt, I would still love you. Olivia, I love you so much it hurts.' He kissed her nose again. 'I would help you.' He said while placing tiny kisses all over her face. She knew it had to hurt him.

'I... I don't want to talk about it.' She looked down.

'We'll talk about it when you're ready.'

'Don't you get it, el, I will never be ready.' She sighed. 'I want to forget it.'

'That's fine too.' He smiled. 'I love you.' There it was. It sounded so blunt, like he threw it in the air or something. He had told her how much he loved her, he had given her reasons, which she obviously needed, and comparisons. But he hadn't told her like that. So easily, so natural. He didn't need reasons or comparisons anymore. She believed him and felt the same.

'I love you too.'

* * *

Olivia was stressing out. It was her last night in her old house. Tomorrow she'd move to the castle, together with Katherine, who would be her first lady in waiting. She couldn't fall asleep. She thought about all the things she had been doing for the last month she stayed here. All her material items, belonging to a pre-queen lifestyle, had to go away. Of course she had given a lot of them to Cassandra, or Casey as she preferred now. But most things she gave to the poor. In her village there were these poor women: Crazy Sonya, Madge, the Munches' wife's (These were women who had seen their husband die after illness) and all of their children. They didn't have much. So the clothes her stepmother didn't demand she gave to them, just like when she was younger she gave spare food and change to them. The people in the village loved her. She had lived there her entire childhood, the people knew her, knew who she was, how kind she was. She laid in bed, thinking about who she'd miss and who she wouldn't. How life at the castle would be. If they'd like her. She didn't sleep that night, and yet, somehow, she was roughly awoken by her stepsister the following morning.

'Get up. We have to start getting ready.' She barked, obviously jealous. Olivia got out of bed and moaned. God she was tired. Maybe she could sleep in the carriage, the way over there. It wasn't long, but it could be an hour or so. Enough she figured. She quickly put on one of her farmers dresses, one she would never wear again, and walked downstairs for breakfast. They ate in silence. Until her oldest brother, Thomas, broke it.

'So, Liv...' As he'd like to call her. 'Nervous in any way?'

'Many ways, Tom.' As she'd like to call him. 'So many ways.' Simon, her other stepbrother, decided to tease her a little.

'You know, if you won't get us good positions we won't like you anymore.'

'Yeah, and if you...' Thomas couldn't finish his sentence because he got hit.

'YeSS.' His father barked. 'YESS. If you wan't to be in charge of army and fleet, then I suggest you act like a gentleman.'

'And what would you know about that, father?' Olivia asked without looking up.

'I am of noble blood, you little brat.'

'Noble blood doesn't give you any manors. When title goes, character remains. Sadly, yours isn't any good.' She looked up. 'Father.'

'Look who's talking now she gets to leave. You aren't queen yet, my daughter. You are still mine, to do with whatever I want.' He smirked. His wife, her stepmother, was holding her breath. This was it, the moment she'd been waiting for. The final fight. If Olivia wouldn't say something stupid, her husband wouldn't. And that would mean that this 16-year lasting affair would end. Not that they'd ever sleep together, Olivia would never let him. But the risk was still there, he was her master, and she knew it. Please, Olivia, she thought, please, don't do anything stupid.

'Sorry father, you are right. I hope we part ways happily and see each other again, in the future, without any resentment.' She used her teeth to rip of a piece of her bread, ate it and then walked upstairs. Once she left, her stepmother could finally breath again. The burden was lifted from her shoulders.

* * *

'That's it.' She said, after the driver had placed her last suitcase on top of the carriage. 'I'm ready to go.' Cassandra was coming with her. For Casey it was the chance of a lifetime, staying at court. Her family had agreed to this, and her niece's family begged her to take Alexandra too. Olivia gratefully accepted. They hugged their friends, that couldn't come, goodbye. Then the four of them got on the carriage and settled. When it started to move, a great sadness befell on each one of them. But that stopped when they opened prince Elliot's travel present. It was filled with sweets and drinks they all loved.

'Are you nervous?' Casey asked her. 'I mean, the wedding is in two weeks!'

'Yeah, why is it that early?' Alexandra asked.

'Elliot wants his father to be there. Sadly the man is ill and tired.'

'You think he won't last long?' Alexandra asked.

'I'm afraid I do.'

'Let's pray for his soul, before we enjoy his meal.' Olivia suggested. Katherine rolled her eyes. 'Dear lord. I thank you for the love you have given me, the love of the great future king Elliot. I also thank you for letting my friends participate in this great journey with me. But I also would like to ask you for a few things, even though my lord has given me so much already, I would like to pray for King Joseph's immortal soul. He won't be with us for much longer, but we pray he receives his well deserved place in heaven, without going trough a horrible deathbed. If and when you have to take him, please, let it be gentle. I also pray for my friends, in the hope they too will find love like mine shortly. Last I would like to pray for all our abilities to be blessed with child, quickly after marriage. In the name of the father, son and the holy spirit, amen.'

'Amen.' Casey made a cross.

'Amen.' Alex followed her.

Katherine rolled her eyes again. 'Amen.'

'Now let us enjoy!' Casey smiled. The others started laughing.

**n/b: Two chapters left. In the next one they'll be newly weds, and in the last one they'll die. But there is a major ****time jump, don't worry. Suggestions how to make this story a little less weird?**


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